Mass media is an effective avenue for information dissemination and awareness creation. Its use, creates an opportunity for wider reach of target populations and sparking community conversations for positive social change.

Based on this realisation, ACTIVISTA The Gambia, with support from UNFPA The Gambia through its UN Peacebuilding funded project on Increasing Women and Youth Participation in Decision Making and as Agents of Community Conflict Prevention, runs a weekly radio talk show, providing a platform for youth and women to learn and express their opinion and concerns around women and youth participation in decision-making processes and the roles each population group has to play in attaining sustainable peace in The Gambia.

Recent studies have shown that, a majority of Gambians depend more on the radio, as opposed to other mediums of communication and information sharing. Thus, during the last quarter of 2019 (October – December), 36 radio Talk Shows were conducted, with twelve shows hosted at Home Digital FM, Qradio and Paradise FM Basse respectively. This decentralisations of the shows, created a unique opportunity for nationwide coverage and reach.

The shows, which have live phone-in options, recorded a total of 160 phone calls during the quarter, giving an average of 5 callers per show, therefore making them participatory and open to the public. This is also a way of ensuring that, shared learning was fostered, by giving callers an opportunity to share their perspectives with the wider listening audience and creating room for interaction and perception change.

Additionally, live tweeting of the shows is done to ensure that the virtual community who may not have an opportunity to listen in on the programme, could participate in the discussions and share their thoughts as well.

Some other topics such as Human Rights, Migration, Gender Equality, Gender-Based Violence and harmful practices, among many others are also usually discussed on the shows, to shed light on issues affecting women, girls and young people in The Gambia and to identify ways in which they can be curbed.

Listen to the recordings of some the shows on Soundcloud here.